Package and cabinet unit



L. A. BATKE ETAL PACKAGE AND CABINET UNIT Nov. 22, 1966 1.,

Filed Dec. 12, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 1966 L. A. BATKE ETAL PACKAGE AND CABINET UNIT 55 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed D804 12. 1962 T i- 44 v INVENTORS so/wep A 3/1 7K5 ATTORNEY.

5 Sheets-Sheet 5 1966 L. A. BATKE ETAL PACKAGE AND CABINET UNIT Filed Dec. 12, 1962 INVENTORS.

(250 5 rKmmmn fl ATTORNEY.

United States Patent 3,287,075 PACKAGE AND CABINET UNIT Leonard A. Batke, Somerville, and Cleon E. Hammond,

Hopewell, NJ., assignors to Ethicon, Inc., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Dec. 12, 1962, Ser. No. 244,112 7 Claims. (Cl. 312-108) The present invention contemplates a package and cabinet unit which is adapted to be used both as a package and as a part, or unit, of a cabinet formed by assembling several of these units for storing and dispensing their contents. The package and cabinet unit of this invention is particularly adapted for use with products which it is desirable to store and dispense in a number of types or sizes in or from a cabinet formed from the original packages in which the products were shipped without the need for first removing the products from the packages. Thus, this unit is particularly adapted for packaging, storing and dispensing suture items. However, as described hereinafter, a variety of other products may be packaged and dispensed in and from this unit.

The package and cabinet unit of this invention comprises a rectangular dispensing drawer normally open at the top for dispensing the items it contains, and a rectangular sleeve for receiving the drawer. The sleeve has a rectangular cross section approximately the same as that of the drawer, although slightly larger in dimension so that the drawer fits in the sleeve and may be moved back and forth slideably therein. The sleeve comprises a plurality of fold-out tabs and a corresponding plurality of positioning slots, and the tabs and slots are located with respect to one another so that adjacent sleeves may be connected to one another to form a cabinet by inserting the tabs of one sleeve into the slots of another. Normally the front end of the sleeve is open to permit the drawer to be inserted therein and removed therefrom and the back end of the sleeve is closed to help protect the contents of the drawer and to provide a back surface for the cabinet. end of the dispensing drawer is marked with appropriate indicia to indicate the contents of each unit. Thus, when adjacent units are connected to form a cabinet the contents of each drawer in the cabinet may be determined from a quick inspection of the front of the cabinet.

The fold-out tabs are detachably held flat in or against The outside of the front the sides of the sleeve during shipping and prior to assembly of the units to form the cabinet. For instance, each tab may be stamped out of packaging board forming one of the sides of the sleeve except for a permanent connection defining a fold-line with the side of the sleeve and may be retained .fiat, in the side of the sleeve from which it is stamped, by thin strips or nibs which are not cut during the stamping operation. When it is desired to use the tabs for assembling the unit, it is only necessary to break the nibs and fold the tabs down or out away from the sides of the sleeve about the foldlines so that they may be inserted in corresponding slots in an adjacent unit. It is preferred that at least one of the fold-out tabs protruding from each sleeve extends vertically when folded out in operative position to engage a corresponding slot in a like unit above or below the sleeve, and at least one of the fold-out tabs extends horizontally when in operative position to engage a like unit alongside said sleeve. The tabs and slots are positioned at the corners of the sleeve so that the drawers of individual cabinet units may be inserted and withdrawn either partially or completely in and from the unit any number of times without being blocked by the tabs. When the phrase corner of the sleeve is used herein, it shall mean approximately along the line of juncture 3,287,075 Patented Nov. 22, 1966 "ice between a horizontal and vertical side wall of the sleeve at a corresponding longitudinal corner edge of the sleeve.

It also is preferred that all tabs, other than those located at the rear of the sleeve, be located at the front of the sleeve so as to minimize the likelihood of the tabs protruding inside the sleeve in such a way as to interfere with movement of the drawer therein. It is another preferred feature of this invention that the edges of the tabs be curved or inclined in such a way that when the drawer is inserted in the sleeve, a cam action occurs between the rear of the drawer and the edges of the tabs which presses the tabs against the side of the sleeve and thereby obviates any possibility of interference between the tabs and the drawer. As a further feature, fold-in tabs are provided opposite one another in the sides of the drawer to provide dividers which help maintain envelopes contained therein upright and in position in the drawers. A pull-out tab integral with the drawer also may be provided to facilitate withdrawal of the drawer from the sleeve.

It is an important advantage of this invention that both the sleeve and the drawer of the package and cabinet unit may be stamped from a single sheet of inexpensive, relatively stiff and foldable packaging board and then appropriately folded and marked to form the sleeve or drawer as the case may be. The folded parts of the sleeve or drawer may be held in position by an adhesive of the type normally used for this purpose appropriately placed in a conventional manner. Indicia andother markings may be stamped directly on the packaging board. However, if desired, suitable marking paper or labels may be applied thereto for this purpose.

It is highly advantageous that each of the package and cabinet units be interchangeable in construction so that they may be arranged with respect to one another as desired in assembling the cabinet. Since different customers will order different types and sizes of products and will want them arranged differently in the cabinet, it is almost impossible for the manufacturer to predict in advance how the cabinet units will be assembled with respect to one another and normally necessitates interchangeability of the units for forming the cabinet.

Other advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following description and claims taken together with the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of a package and cabinet unit according to a preferred embodiment of the invention;

units according to the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is another view in perspective of a portion of the cabinet of FIG. 2, at the enlargement of FIG. l,

showing one of the drawers partially withdrawn for access to its contents;

FIG. 4 is a view in perspective of the package and cabinet unit of FIG. 1 inverted to show the connecting tabs before they are folded out into operative position;

FIG. 5 is a view in perspective of the rear end of the package and cabinet unit of FIG. 4 on a somewhat reduced scale, but still inverted, showing certain details of the construction of the sleeve;

FIG. 6 is a view in perspective illustrating the assembly of three sleeves of the embodiment of the preceding figures;

FIG. 7 is a front sectional view at the enlargement of FIG. 1, as it might be taken along the line 77 of FIG. 2 as one vertical row of sleeves is being assembled with the others; 7

FIG. 8 is a side sectional view taken along the line 8-8 of FIG. 7 and showing the insertion of a drawer into one of the sleeves;

FIG. 9 is a top sectional view taken along the lin 99 of FIG. 8 showing the cam action between the rear end of the drawer and one of the side tabs as the drawer is being inserted in the'sleeve;

FIG. 10 is a view in perspective of one of the foldv out tabs of-one sleeve just before it is inserted in the cooperating slot of another sleeve;

FIG; 11 is a view in elevation showing the same tab after it is inserted in the-said cooperating slot.

Referring to FIGS. 1-9 of the drawings, there is shown a package and cabinet unit 21 and a corresponding selfsupporting cabinet 22 according to a preferred embodiadapted to be inserted in and withdrawn from the open front end of the sleeve. The sleeve 23 comprises a plurality of fold-out tabs and a corresponding plurality of positioning slots located in the sleeve in such a way that a plurality of units comprising these sleeves may be joined with one another to arrange their drawers 26 in vertical and horizontal rows and form the suture cabinet 22 by inserting the tabs of one sleeve into the slots of another.

It is an important feature of this invention that both the sleeve 23 and the dispensing drawer 26 of the unit may be formed from conventional paper packaging board. This inexpensive, relatively stifi and foldable paper board, normally called boxboard, may be cut and folded with ease to form the necessary parts. In fact, both the sleeve and the drawer, individually, may be cut and folded from a single sheet of packaging board in accordance with this embodiment.

The dispensing drawer 26 normally is open at the top, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 8, to allow the insertion and removal of suture items therefrom and isclosed at'the top by insertion of the drawer in the sleeve 23, as shown in FIG. 1. The drawer comprises a horizontal bottom wall 27 formed by folding and overlapping several parts, and opposite vertical side walls 28 connected by a front end wall 29 and a rear'end wall 31. The parts making up the bottom wall 27 of the drawer are integral with respective portions of some or all of the side .and end walls thereof, The front wall 29 of the drawer presents indicia 32 on its front surface which describe fully the contents of thedrawer, and a pull-out tab ,33 to facilitate withdrawal of the drawer from the cabinet. The manufacturer assembles the drawer 26, marks the front of it withappropriate indicia 32, as described above, packs the drawer with the proper suture items, and then inserts the drawer 26 into a sleeve 23 to form the suture package and cabinet .unit. This unit may be shipped as is or overwrapped with cellophane *or the like to hold the parts together and provide a dust cover. Normally several units are packed together in a carton for shipment and they may be retained in the carton until they are needed for assembly of the suture cabinet.

The dispensing drawer 26 is particularly adapted for storing and dispensing suture items contained in hermetically sealed, interiorly sterilized envelopes 35. Typically, approximately three dozen 'envelopes 35, stand ing upright and extending transversely between the side the drawer; Each of the dividers 36 is folded inwardly from one of the side walls 28 and is formed by partially cutting the side walls to define three of its edges; .The

divider 36 remains foldably connected to the sidewallalong one edge and the uncut portions along the other edges are adapted to be broken by finger pressure as the drawer is being packed to allow the dividers to be folded toward one another. arranged in three pairs, spaced longitudinally. along the side walls of the drawer, the envelopes 35 containing the 'suture items will be retained in the drawer in four groups located in the four spaces defined by the three pairs of dividers and the front and rear walls 29 and 31 of the drawer. Thus, theenvelopes will remain substantially upright until the last is removed from the rawer, thereby facilitating the grasping of the envelopes and their rapid removal from the cabinet when neededv during an operating room emergency.

The pull-out tab 33 at the front of the drawer also.

is only. partially cut from the front wall of the drawer by the manufacturer so that it'does not protrudelfrom the unit during shipment and handling prior to use.

Again, when it is desired to withdraw the drawer from the sleeve, the tab 33 is fully broken from the front wall of the drawer along its curved top edge and folded out for gripping as shown in FIGS. 3 and 8. Also, as shown in these figures, a vertical tab or cover 37 is provided in the folded structure of the drawer behind the withdrawal tab so that when the withdrawal tab is folded out for use,

the hole formed by its removal is blocked by the cover.

slightly larger than that of the drawer 26 and is adapted to receive the drawer slidably therein in such a way that the drawer may be inserted in the sleeve to fully enclose its contents and withdrawn at least partially therefrom to provide access to its contents. As mentioned above, the sleeve 23 possesses a plurality of fold-out tabs and a corresponding plurality of positioning slots for connecting it with like sleeves of like units to form the suture cabinet 22. The sleeve 23 comprises a bottom wall 38,

a top wall 39, side walls 40, and a rear wall 30, which closes the rearend 25 of the sleeve. The tabs are. connected to the bottom wall 38 of the sleeve and, the slots are presented at the top wall 39 thereof. presents two vertical side tabs'41 and 42 and one horizontal side tab 43, as well as one vertical rear tab 44. The words vertical and horizontal, as used to describe the tabs, refer to their folded out, or operative, positions. The fold-out tabs are formed by partially. stamping,.or

cutting out, the out-lines of the tabs from the bottom wall 38 of the sleeve and leaving the tabs uncut and attached to thebottom of the sleeve along folding edges' which correspond with the side edges 45 and rear edges The tabs 41, 42 and 44 l 46 of the bottom of the sleeve. are partially cut from the bottom 38 of the sleeve only in that they are still retained in position in the bottom of the sleeve by thin strips, or nibs, 47,which are not severed during the stamping operation. These nibs 47 hold the tabs flat and in position in the bottom of the sleeve during shipping and prior toassembly of the units to form the cabinet. However, when it is desired to assemble these sleeves, the tabs may be folded out easily into operative position merely by pulling or pushing thetabs with respect to the bottom of the sleeve to break the nibs. Radial cuts 50, such as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, may be provided to facilitate displacing the bottom 38 of the sleeve from the outside of the unit to grip the tabs and fold them into operative position. Corresponding slots 48 for cooperating with the vertical tabs 41, 42 and 44 are cut along the side edges of the top wall 39 of the sleeve,

Since the dividers 36 arev Each sleeve where it joins the side walls 40 thereof, and along the rear edge of the sleeve where it joins the rear wall 30 thereof. Thus, when the three vertical tabs 41, 42 and 44 are folded downwardly into operative position, the sleeve may be assembled with a like sleeve positioned below merely by inserting the tabs into the corresponding three slots 48 in the lower sleeve as illustrated in FIG. 6.

The horizontal side tab 43 is partially cut out of the vertical side tab 41 and has a common folding edge therewith by which it remains connected to the bottom 38 and the adjacent side walls 40 of the sleeve. The horizontal tab 43 is considerably smaller than the vertical tab 41 from which it is cut and a correspondingly smaller, or shorter, slot 49 is provided along the opposite bottom side edge of the sleeve 23 for cooperating with the horizontal tab 43 of an adjacent unit.

As shown most clearly in FIGS. 6 and 7, the side tab 43, after insertion in the side slot 49 in an adjacent unit, falls within the space 51 formerly occupied by the vertical side tab 42 at this edge of the adjacent unit. Since the tab 43 is folded outwardly from the bottom wall 38 of the sleeve in which it was originally located by approximately 180", it has a tendency to return toward its original position and therefore to move downwardly into and through the space, or hole 51, left by the above mentioned vertical side tab. Thus, the side tab 43 presses downwardly upon the top wall 39 of the sleeve below the opening 51 as shown most clearly in FIG. 7. Also as shown in FIG. 7, if the sleeves to be joined are in the bottom horizontal row of units, the side tab 43 presses downwardly upon the top of the vertical side tab which has not been removed from its original position in the adjacent unit.

As shown most clearly in FIGS. 7-9, the vertical side tabs 41 and 42 extend downwardly into the sleeves assembled below them in the suture cabinet and tend to remain extending downwardly and inwardly at a slight angle due to the location of the side walls 40 below the side slots 48. The vertical side tabs 41 and 42 present inclined curved bottom edges 52 which are adapted to provide a cam action with the rear 31 of the drawer 26 as it is inserted in the sleeve 23 so that movement of the drawer into contact with the inclined curved edges 52 presses the side tabs 41 and 42 against the inside surfaces of the side walls 40 of the sleeve and out of the way of the drawer. Referring in particular to FIGS. 7, 8, and 9, it will be seen that the rear corner 53 of the drawer at one side of theunit first contacts the inclined curved edge 52 of the side tab 42 adjacent the top of the tab 42 and just below the slot 48 in the top corner of the sleeve. At the slot 48 the tab 42 is positioned partially in line with the side wall 40 of the sleeve defining this slot and the above-referred-to rear corner 53 of the drawer first strikes the inclined edge 52 of the tab at a point where the tab 42 is virtually in contact with the adjacent side wall 40 of the sleeve definingthe slot, as shown in FIG. 9. Thus, there is room for the above-referred-to corner 53 of the drawer to pass behind, or over, the leading end 54 of the tab. As the drawer 26 moves further into the sleeve 23 it will continue to travel over the remainder of the inclined cam edge 52 of the tab and press, or swing, the whole tab 42 into a substantially vertical position along the side wall 40 of the sleeve.

The above described cam action is facilitated by shoulders 55 provided on the inside surfaces of the opposite side walls 40 of the sleeve at the front end 24 of the sleeve. These shoulders 55 are formed by folding the sheet material, from which the sheet is made, back upon itself to form a rim 56 of double thickness. As shown most clearly in FIG. 8, this rim 56 extends all around the front end, or mouth 24, of the sleeve, not only along the side surfaces of its side walls. Thus, the shoulders 55 provided by the rim56 are of double thickness and are located just ahead, or in front, of the leading end 54 of the adjacent vertical side tabs 42 extending into the sleeve from the unit above.

6 The transverse distance between these shoulders 55 is slightly greater than the transverse width of the dispensing drawer 26 in order to allow the drawer to be inserted into the sleeve 23 between the shoulders. Thus, the shoulders 55 act to space the sides of the drawer 26 from the sides of the sleeve 23 by an amount approximately equal to the thickness of the tabs 41 and 42, which in turn are as thick as the sheet material from which the sleeve is made. As shown most clearly in FIG. 9, this relationship between the side 28 of the drawer 26, the shoulder 55, and the vertical side tab 42, in effect, recesses the front end 54 of the side tab behind the shoulder SS'and assures that the adjacent rear corner 53 of the dispensing drawer first will contact the inclined edge 52 of the tab 42 beyond the front end 54 of the tab to facilitate swinging the tab against the side wall as described hereinbefore.

As mentioned hereinbefore, the vertical rear tab 44 fits into a corresponding slot 48 located in the top rear edge of the sleeve below. The rear wall 30 of the sleeve is formed by folding various parts together, as shown most clearly in FIG. 5. These parts are in the form of flaps which, prior to folding, extend rearwardly from the respective top, bottom, and side walls of the sleeve. These flaps are so shaped that when folded together they provide a recess 57 in the rear wall 30 of the sleeve for receiving the vertical end tab 44 from the unit above, after it is inserted through the end slot in the sleeve. This facilitates insertion of the rear tab 44 through the rear slot and prevents the rear tab from passing inwardly over the rear wall 30 of the sleeve and then climbing over the rear wall 31 of the dispensing drawer 26 located in the sleeve to protrude downwardly into the rear of the drawer. Of course, if, in assembling the units, the rear tab 44 were to pass into the drawer of one of the units, it would tend to prevent that drawer from being withdrawn from the sleeve, especially if the drawer were tightly packed with suture envelopes.

FIGS. 10 and 11 illustrate the way in which the fold-out tabs of one sleeve fit into and cooperate with the cooperating slots of another sleeve for holding the sleeves firmly together. One sleeve is positioned above the other with one of the vertical side tabs 42 folded out so as to extend approximately parallel to the side wall 40 of the sleeve to which it is attached and the tab is located directly above the corresponding cooperating slot 48 in the sleeve below. For purposes of illustration, the tab 42, shown, may be described as a first fold-out tab, foldably connected to a first corner 101 of the top sleeve, and the cooperating slot 48 may be referred to as located in a second corner 102 of the sleeve below. When the sleeves are formed from foldable sheet material, such as conventional paperboard, the first and second corners of the said sleeves normally would be formed by folds in the sheet material extending longitudinally of the sleeve. In assembling the sleeves to form a cabinet according to this invention, the fold-out tab 42 is adapted to be inserted in the cooperating slot 48 in such a way that the sleeves are held firmly together by the fit of the tab in the slot.

The cooperating slot 48 comprises an opening, or slit, 103 in the second corner 102 of the bottom sleeve. The opening 103 extends longitudinally of the corner and, when the corner 102 is formed by folding sheet material as referred to above, the opening 103 is located in, and extends longitudinally along, the fold forming the corner. The cooperating slot 48 also comprises a pair of cuts 104; one of which is connected to each end of the opening 103. Each of the cuts 104 extends away from the corner and outwardly away from the end of the opening to which it is connected. The cuts 104 are located in the side wall 40 of the lower sleeve and extend downwardly and outwardly in said wall' away from the ends of the opening 103. Thus, the over all width of the cooperating slot 48 is defined by the distance between the outermost ends of the cuts 104 and therefore is substantially greater than the widthof the opening 103.

The first fold-out tab 42 comprises a detent portion 105 and a narrower neck portion 106. The neck portion 106 connects the detent portion to the first corner 101 of the The detent portion 105. is wider than the 1 opening 103 but narrower than the over all width of the cooperating slot 48 measured across the lower ends of the top sleeve.

cuts 104. The detent portion 105 presents a pair of shoulders107 adjacent to the neck portion 106. The maximum Widthof the detent portion is measured across the tips of the shoulders 107. The side edges 108 of the detent portion 105 above the shoulders 107 are inclined inwardly toward the neck portion 106 of the tab. More specifically, the side edges of the tab above the shoulders 107 are curved inwardly and upwardly toward the first corner 101 to provide the said inclination of the edges of the tab and define the neck portion 106 thereof.

In assembling the sleeves, the lower curved end of the tab 42 is inserted in the opening 103 .of the cooperating slot 48 and, since the detent portion 105 of the tab is Wider than the opening .103, continued pressure downwardly upon the tab causes the side wall 40' directly below the opening to flex outwardly slightly about an 7 approximateline YY connecting the lower ends of the inclined cuts 104 to allow the detent portion of the tab to enter the slotf48. The shoulders 167 of the tab are so located with respect to the first corner 101 of the top sleeve that when thetop sl eve is in position on the bottom sleeve, the shoulders are below the lower ends of the slot' 104. Thus, after the detent portion 105 of the tab 42 (including the shoulders 107) passes the lower ends of the cuts 104, the tab snaps into the slot and the a the inclined cuts .104 at the ends of the slot' 48 and thereby block further movement of the tab in this direction. The only way in which the tab can be removed from the slot Without breaking or tearing any part of the sleeve is by, somehow, first pressing the tab outwardlysideways against the side wall 40 of the bottom sleeve in such a way as to again fiex the wall outwardly about the line YY to allow the shoulders 107 to passthr-ough the ends of the slot 48. However, this cannot be done merely by pulling one sleeve away from the other and is almost impossible to do accidentally.

Although the package and cabinet unit of this invention has been shown and described in detail in connection with its use for containing sutures, it may also be used for packaging and dispensing from a cabinet -a variety of other items; such as other surgical products, nuts, bolts,

screws and related hardware items; dried food packaged in envelopes; and any other product which it might be desirable to store or dispense in a number of types or sizes in or from a cabinet formed from the original packages in which the products were shipped without the need for first-removing the products from the packages.

Having now described the invention in specific detail and exemplified the manner in which it may be carried into practice, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that innumerable variations, applications, modifications, and extensions of the basic principles involved may be made without departing from its spirit or scope.

The invention claimed is:

1. A package and cabinet unit which comprises a sleeve of rectangular cross section having an open front end, and a rectangular drawer adaptedto be inserted in and withdrawn from the open front end of said sleeve, said sleeve comprising a of opposed horizontal side walls and a pair of opposed vertical side walls and'said 1 horizontal and vertical side walls being joined at the corners of thesleeve to provide a rectangular slide tor said drawer, the side wmls of said sleeve having a pluralityof side. fold-out tabs and a corresponding plurality of side positioning slots, said side tabs being fioldable side-1 ways outwardly from said side walls and being so located with respect to said side slots that the tabs of one sleeve may be inserted in the slots of another to firmly join a plurality of said sleeves and form a self-supportingcabinetwi-th all units facing in'the same direction, the side.

tabs of the sleeves forming the cabinet protruding through the side walls of adjacent sleeves with which they are assembled and said side tabs presenting inclined edges which are adapted to provide a cam action with the rear of'one of said drawers as the drawer is inserted in one of the sleeves so that movement ofthe rear of the drawer into contact with one of the inclined tabs presses the side tab against an inside surface of the sleeve and out of the I sembly in the cabinet. V

2. A package and cabinet unit according to claim 1,1

which further comprises shoulders on the inside surfaces of opposite sides of the sleeve at the front of the sleeve for spacing the sides of the drawer from the sides of the sleeve by an amount approximately equal to the thickness of the side tabs.

3. A package and cabinet unit which comprises a sleeve of rectangular cross section having an open front end,

and a rectangular drawer adapted to be inserted in and withdrawn from the open front end of said sleeve, said sleeve comprising a pair of opposed horizontal side walls and a pair of opposed vertical sidewalls and said horizontal and vertical side walls being joined at'th'e corners of the sleeve to provide a rectangular slide for said drawer;

the side walls of said sleeve having a plurality of side fold-out tabs and a corresponding plurality of sidepositioning slots, said side tabs being fioldable sideways out-.-

wardly from said side Walls and being so located with respect to said side side slots that the tabs of one sleeve may be inserted in the slots of another to firmly join a plurality of said sleeves and form a self-supporting- 'cabinet with all units facing in the same direction, said fold-out tabs in each sleeve being detachably held flat and aligned with a side of said sleeve prior to assembly of the sleeve in the cabinet and being detachable from this position and 'foldable outwardly from the sleeve while remaining attached thereto for assembly in the cabinet,

a first side fold-out tab being toldably connected to a:

first corner of the sleeve and a cooperating sideslot being provided in a second corner of the sleeve, the said first side tab of one sleeve .being :adapted'to be inserted in the cooperating slot of another sleeve in forming the cabinet, said cooperating slot comprising an opening' in said second corner and extending longitudinally thereof and a pair of cuts, one connected to each end of the openi-n extending away from the corner and outwardly away from the ends of the opening in one side of the sleeve, whereby the overall width of the cooperating sl-o-t' is defined by the distance between the outermost ends of said cuts, said first side tab comprising a' detent portion and a narrower neck portion connecting the detent portion to the first corner of [the are adapted to contact end portions of the cooperating slot when :an attempt is made to withdraw said first side tab from said slot thereby blocking further withdrawal of the tab and assuring that the sleeves are held together firmly in the cabinet.

5. A package and cabinet unit formed fisom inexpensive, relatively still and foldable packaging board which comprises a sleeve of rectangular cross section having an open front end and a closed rear end, and -a rectangular drawer adapted to be inserted in and withdrawn from the open front end of said sleeve, said sleeve comprising a pair of opposed horizontal side walls and a pair of op- Iposed vertical side walls and said horizontal :and vertical side walls being joined at the corners of the sleeve to provide a rectangular slide for said drawer, the side walls of said sleeve having a plurality of side fold-out tabs and a corresponding plurality of side positioning slots, said side tabs being integral with the side walls of the sleeve and being formed by partially cutting them from a side wall of the sleeve, the side tabs remaining foldably connected to the sleeve along a tolding edge of each tab and being partially out from the side walls of said sleeve forming cut and uncut portions along the remaining edges of each tab, the uncut portions along said remaining edges being adapted to be broken to allow said tabs to be folded sideways outwardly from said walls into operative position for assembling said units in the cabinet, at least one side fold-out tab extending vertically and at least one side fold-out tab extending horizontally when the side tabs are folded out into operative positions for assembly of the unit into the cabinet, and said slots are located for receiving corresponding side tabs extending vertically and horizontally from adjacent sleeves having corresponding side tabs and slots, whereby adjacent units may be connected vertically and horizontally with one another to form a stable cabinet comprising a number of units all facing in the same direction, said side tabs and slots being positioned at the corners of the sleeves insuch a way as to allow the drawers to be inserted and withdrawn in and from the unit without being blocked by said tabs, one of the vertically extending side fold-out tabs located along the sides of the unit having a common tolding edge with tone of the horizontally extending side foldout tabs and said common folding edge extending along one corner of the sleeve.

6. A package and cabinet unit formed from inexpensive, relatively still and foldable packing board which comprises a sleeve of rectangular cross section having an open front end and a closed rear end, and a rectangular drawer adapted to be inserted in and withdrawn from the open front end of said sleeve, said sleeve comprising :a pair of opposed horizontal side walls and a pair of opposed vertical side wall and-said horizontal and vertical side walls being joined at the corners of the sleeve to provide a rectangular slide for said drawer, the side walls of said sleeve having a plurality of side toldbnt tabs and a corresponding plurality of side positioning slots,

said side tabs being foldable sideways outwardly from said side walls and being so located with respect to said side slots that the tabs of one sleeve may be inserted in the slots of another to firmly join a plurality of said sleeves and form a self-supporting cabinet with all units facing in the same direction, said side tabs being integral with the side walls of the sleeve and being formed by partially cutting them from a side wall of the sleeve, the side tabs remain-ing foldably connected to the sleeve along a folding edge of each tab and being partially out from the side walls of said sleeve forming cut and uncut portions along the remaining edges of each tab, the uncut po-rtions along said remaining edges being adapted to be broken to allow said tabs to be folded out into operative position for assembling said units in the cabinet, said side tabs and slots being positioned at the corners of the sleeve and the side tabs of the sleeves forming the cabinet protruding through the side walls of adjacent sleeves with which they are assembled and said side tabs presenting inclined edges which are adapted to provide a cam action with the rear of one of said drawers as the drawer is inserted in one of the sleeves to press one of the inclined tabs against an inside surface of the sleeve and out of the way of the drawer, said sleeve presenting shoulders on the inside surfaces of opposite sides of the sleeve at the front of the sleeve tor spacing the sides of the drawer from the sides of the sleeve by an amount approximately equal to the thickness of the inclined tabs, whereby the rear of the drawer more easily displaces the inclined tabs into contact with -a side surface of the sleeve.

7. A package and cabinet unit according to claim '6, wherein said shoulders are formed by folding the packaging board back upon itself to form a rim of double 35 thickness at the front of the sleeve.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 646,638 4/1900 Cutler 229-75 1,308,647 7/1919 Stuck 312107 2,125,813 8/1938 Roscoe 312111 X 2,210,019 8/1940 Zalkind 312-108 2,268,236 12/1941 Bair-d 3121ll X 2,451,012 10/1948 Zalkind 3 l2-108 2,733,112 1/1956 Dunham 312111 2,843,307 7/ 1958 Goltz 22934 3,015,431 1/ 1962 Mulcoy 22945 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,235,845 5/1960 France. 556,550 2/ 1957 Italy.

CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner.

FRANK B. SHERRY, Examiner.

A. FRANKEL, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A PACKAGE AND CABINET UNIT WHICH COMPRISES A SLEEVE OF RECTANGULAR CROSS SECTION HAVING AN OPEN FRONT END, AND A RECTANGULAR DRAWER ADAPTED TO BE INSERTED IN AND WITHDRAWN FROM THE OPEN FRONT END OF SAID SLEEVE, SAID SLEEVE COMPRISING A PAIR OF OPPOSED HORIZONTAL SIDE WALLS AND A PAIR OF OPPOSED VERTICAL SIDE WALLS AND SAID HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL SIDE WALLS BEING JOINED AT THE CORNERS OF THE SLEEVE TO PROVIDE A RECTANGULAR SLIDE FOR SAID DRAWER, THE SIDE WALLS OF SAID SLEEVE HAVING A PLURALITY OF SIDE FOLD-OUT TABS AND A CORRESPONDING PLURALITY OF SIDE POSITIONING SLOTS, SAID SIDE TABS BEING FOLDABLE SIDEWAYS OUTWARDLY FROM SAID SIDE WALLS AND BEING SO LOCATED WITH RESPECT TO SAID SIDE SLOTS THAT THE TABS OF ONE SLEEVE MAY BE INSERTED IN THE SLOTS OF ANOTHER TO FIRMLY JOIN A PLURALITY OF SAID SLEEVES AND FORM A SELF-SUPPORTING CABINET WITH ALL UNITS FACING IN THE SAME DIRECTION, THE SIDE TABS OF THE SLEEVES FORMING THE CABINET PROTRUDING THROUGH THE SIDE WALLS OF ADJACENT SLEEVES WITH WHICH THEY ARE AS- 